Full flow valve having a retractable and swinging plunger



@PL 18 1956 E. E. EPLER FULL FLOW VALVE HAVING A RETR AND swINGING PLUNGER Filed Jan. 2s, 195s Fig.2.

ACTABLE .INI/ENTOR. ERNEST `E.- EPLER.

BY 'ma AGENTS.

FULL FLUW VALVE HAVING A RETRACTABLE AND SWINGlNG PLUNGER Ernest E. Epler, San Diego, Calif.

Application January 28, 1953, Serial No. 333,775

laims. (Cl. 251--218) The present invention relates generally to hydraulic valve equipment and more particularly to a full flow valve having a retractable and swinging plunger.

The primary obiect of this invention is to provide a full flow valve which permits high speed passage of liquids therethrough.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full flow valve which can be quickly opened or closed by movement of a lever.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full flow valve having a retractable internal mechanism which is swung out of the line of flow 0f iluid passing therethrough by the action of the operating lever.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full llow valve having means to discourage swirling or spiral ow of liquids therethrough.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full flow valve which can be used individually or in multiple units housed in a common housing or manifold.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full iiow valve which is very versatile and can be used in many kinds of systems and with gases as well as liquids.

Another object of this invention, ancillary to the preceding objects, is to teach the best known mode of implementing the principles of the invention in carrying the invention into actual practice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full ilow valve which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can be according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a full flow valve which is inexpensive and practicable to manufacture.

Finally, it is an object to provide a full iiow valve of the aforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient to operate, and which will give generally eiiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in View, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereiafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specication and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the valve in its closed position;

Fig. 2 is a Sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 showing the plunger in the raised position in full line and in the offset position when the valve is fully open in broken line;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view showing the method of locking the plunger mechanism when the valve is open or closed;

rates Alatent O "ice Fig. 4 is a group view showing a minor modification of the locking balls arrangement.

Referring now to the drawing in detail it will be evident that my full flow valve generally comprises a housing 1t) having a removable base plate 12, a valve plunger 14 slidably mounted in a cylindrical valve guide 16, a shaft 18 mounted for oscillation in said housing 10 and having a cam 28 secured hereon and a cam follower 22 engaging the cam 20 and having a stem 24 pivotally attached to the valve plunger 14.

The housing 10 comprises side walls 26 and 28, end walls 30 and 32 and the wall 34 which will be hereinafter called the top. The side walls 26 and 28 aligned have transverse bores 36 therethrough in which is rotatably mounted the shaft 18. Referring in particular to Fig. l of the drawing it will be noted that the side walls 26 and 28 are substantially parallel to each other and are provided with outwardly inclined portions 38 intermediate the housing top 34 and the open end 48 formed by the ends of the walls 26, 28, 32 and 32. Thus, the walls 26 and 28 are closer together adjacent the housing top 34 than at the open end 48. The wall 32 is provided with a port 42 for use either as an inlet or outlet as will be hereinafter described, and has in addition an integral inwardly extending projection or stop 44. An outwardly extending flange 46 is formed at the edges of the side and end walls 26, 28, 30 and 32 and completely surrounds the open end 40 of the housing 10.

The base plate 12 is generally flat and shaped to conform closely to the outer edge of the flange 46 and is secured thereto by the cap screws 48. A port 50 is provided at one end of the base plate 12 adjacent the end wall 32 and, similarly to the port 42, can be used as an inlet or outlet to the housing 10.

The shaft 18 has a larger diameter portion 52 and a smaller diameter portion 54, whichis terminally secured in a handle assembly 56 by the set screw 58. A longitudinal keyway 60 is provided in the shaft 18, said keyway extending inwardly from the edge of the larger diameter portion 52 adjacent the smaller diameter portion 54. The shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in the housing 10, the larger diameter portion 54 engaging the bore 36 in the side walls 26 and 28.

The valve guide 16 is cylindrical having a head portion 62 and a shank 64 of smaller diameter extending therefrom. A shoulder 66 is formed between the head portion 62 and shank 64. The head 62 is provided with a slot 68 extending throughthe major portion thereof. The valve guide 16 has a concentric bore 70 communieating with the slot 68, best shown in Figure 3, and a transverse bore 72 through the head 62 :and at right angles to said slot 68. The valve guide 16 is pivotally mounted intermediate the walls 26 and 28 on the shaft 18.

The cam 20 is circular in cross section and has an eccentric bore 74 to receive the shaft 18, and a keyway 76. The cam 2li is mounted in the slot 68 and secured on the shaft 18 by a key 78, which engages the keyways 60 and 76 of the shaft 18 andthe cam 20, respectively. The cam follower 22 comprises a yoke portion 80 and a stem 24 extending from said yoke portion 80. The yoke portion 88 has a circular kbore larger in diameter than the diameter of the cam 20, and is positioned so that said yoke portion surrounds the cam 20 with the stem 24 extending downwardly through the shank 64 of the valve `guide 16. The stem 24 has at the end opposite the yoke portion 80 a transverse bore 82 to receive a pivot pin 84.

The valve plunger 14 consists of a cylindrical valve stem 86 and an internal valve head 88. The valve stern 86 has a slot 90 at its end opposite the valve head 88, and a transverse bore 92 disposed at right angles to said slot 90. The valve head 88 may be integral with the valve stem 86 and is of larger diameter than the port 50 of the base plate 12. A spring guide, indicated at 94, is integrally formed intermediate the valve stem 86 and valve head 88 and is of similar diameter to the shank 64 of the valve guide 16. A circular retaining plate 96 is secured to the face of the valve head 88 by the screw 98, and both the valve head 88 and the retaining plate are stepped to form together an annular recess 100 for a valve washer 102 of suitable material.

The valve stem is slidably positioned within the shank 64 of the valve guide 16 and pivotally attached to the stem 24 of the cam follower 22 by means of the pivot pin 84, which extends through the bores 82 and 92. Indicated at 104 is a valve spring coaxial with the shank 64 and compressed between the shoulder 66 and the valve head 88.

It will be evident that movement of the handle assembly 56 will rotate the cam 20 and cause longitudinal movement of the cam follower 22, and consequently the valve plunger 14, relative to the valve guide 16. When the valve is in its closed position the handle assembly is positioned as best shown at A in Figure 2.

The means for locking the valve mechanism in its open or closed position is shown in detail in Fig. 3. The head 62 of the valve guide has a transverse bore 106 at right angles to the slot 68 and parallel with the bore 72. A spring 108 is secured at one end in one portion of the bore 106 and a ball 110 is retained in said bore 106 between the other end of vsaid spring 108 and the cam 20. The cam has an arcuate recess 112 which is disposed to receive the ball 110 when said cam is in the position assumed when the valve isin the open position, as best shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, thus it will be evident that movement of the valve plunger 14, relative to the valve guide 16 is restrained to adegree by the locking action o'f the ball 110 in the cam 20. A spring 114 substantially weaker than the spring 108, and a second ball 115, are similarly retained in the upper portion of the bore 106, said ball 115 being urged outwardly ofthe cam 10 by said spring 114. The inner surface of the wall 28 is provided with a bore 116 disposed to receive the ball 115 when the valve guide 16 and the plunger 14 are in alignment with the port 50, and a second bore 118, which receives the ball 115. When the valve` guide 16 and plunger 14 are in the position as indicated by the broken line in Fig. 2. Both the bores 116 and 118 have set screws 120 therein to permit adjustability of the depth of seating of the ball 115.

Leakage from the bore 36 is prevented by the cover plate 122 secured tothe wall 26, and also by the seal 124 andlseal retaining plate 126 which are secured to the Wall 28 bythe screws 128.

It will be evident on referring to Fig. 2, that movement of the handle 56Vfrom the position A to the position B will cause the valve to be raised and locked, clear of the port 50. Further movement of the handle 56 to the position C will cause unseating of the ball 115 and will swing the valve guide 16 to the offset position as shown by the broken line where it will be retained by theengagement of the ball 115 in the bore 118. Thus any liquid entering the valve through the aperture 42 will have unrestricted passage outwardly through the port 50. Swirling or spiral flow, often caused by obstructing mechanisms in a conventional valve, is leliminated and a high speed ow thus encouraged.

The valve is closed by a general reversal of the opening process. The handle 56 is moved from position C in the direction of position A, simultaneously swinging the valve guide 16 and valve plunger 14 back into alignment with the port S0, the stop 44 insuring precise location. The ball 115 under tension of the spring 114 will now be in engagement with the bore 116 in the wall 23. Further movement of the handle 5,6 to position A will `rotate the cam so moving the ball 110 out of engagement with the recess 112 and causing the cam follower 22 to move the valve head into engagement with the port S0. The spring 104, being under compression, assists in the valve closing action.

In a modiied form of this invention illustrated in Figure 4, minor simplication is introduced with the operation and major features of the valve unchanged from that described in detail above. In the simplitied form, the bore 106 and spring 108 are unused or deleted and the ball 130, corresponding to the ball 115, is opposed by a second ball 132, corresponding in function with the ball 110, but operated by the same spring 134. The bores 116 and 118 and the set screws 120 are also deleted, and a recess 136, is provided on the cam 20, while recesses 138 and 140 replace the bores 116 and 118. The recess 136 in the cam 20 is deeper than the recesses 138 and 140 in the side wall 128 so that the locking action is greater between the guide and cam than between the side wall and the guide. ln opening the valve, the ball 130 holds the valve guide from swinging while the cam turns to retract the plunger against the action of the spring 104. When fully retracted, the ball 132 enters the recess 136 in the cam, locking the plunger in retracted position. On further movement of the handle, the ball 130 is unseated and the guide 16 swings into the dash line position, whereupon the ball 130 enters the recess 140 to hold the guide in this open position.

In closing the valve, the greater locking action of ball 132, by reason of the deeper recess 136, causes this ball 132 to release the plunger only after the guide has been returned into engagement with the stop 44, again preventing any scuiling action.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

l. A hydraulic valve comprising a housing, linlet and outlet ports in said housing, a tubular valve guide pivotally mounted in said housing, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said housing and extending through said valve guide, a cam secured to said shaft, a cam follower having one portion operatively engaged with said cam and an elongated portion extending through said valve guide, a valve closing plunger reciprocably mounted in said guide for closing and opening one of said ports and pivotally attached to said elongated portion, and a handle secured to said shaft whereby movement of said handle, in one direction, rotates said cam and causes axial retraction of said valve plunger from said oneV port, said plunger being spring biased, and means locking said cam relative tothe guide when the plunger is fully retracted in said guide, said locking means being releasable by return movement of the handle in the opposite direction and comprising a recess in said cam and a spring loaded ball mounted in said valve guide and engaging said recess when said valve plunger is retracted, whereby further movement of said handle swings said guide and plunger in offset position out of alignment with said one port.

2. A hydraulic valve comprising a housing, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a tubular valve guide pivotally mounted in said housing, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said housing and extending through said valve guide, a cam secured to said shaft, a cam follower having one portion operatively engaged with said cam and an elongated portion extending through said valve guide, a valve closing plunger axially reciprocally mounted in said guide for closing and opening one of said ports and pivotally attached to said elongated portion, detent means locking said guide to said cam and a handle secured to said shaft whereby movement of said handle, in one direction, rotates said cam and causes axial retraction `of said valve plunger' axially of said guide fromV said one port .and thereafter swings said guide and plunger in offset position out of alignment with said one port, and detent means in said guide for locking said guide relative to the housing when said guide and plunger are in said offset position, both said detent means being releasable upon return movement of the handle inv the opposite direction.

3. A hydraulic valve comprising a housing, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a tubular valve guide pivotally mounted in said housing, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said housing and extending through said valve guide, a cam secured to said shaft, a cam follower having one portion operatively engaged with said cam and an elongated portion extending through said valve guide, a valve closing plunger axially reciprocably mounted in said guide for closing and opening one of said ports and pivotally attached to said elongated portion, detent means locking said guide to said cam and a handle secured to said shaft whereby movement of said handle, in one direction, rotates said cam and causes axial retraction of said valve plunger axially of said guide from said one port and thereafter swings said guide and plunger in offset position out of alignment with said one port, and means locking said guide relative to the housing when said guide and plunger are in said oiset position, said last mentioned means comprising a detent further operative to hold the guide in a second position aligned with said one port, said detent means being successively releasable upon return movement of the guide from said offset position to said second position.

4. A hydraulic valve `comprising a housing, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a tubular valve guide pivotally mounted in said housing, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said housing and extending through said valve guide, a cam secured to said shaft, a cam follower having one portion operatively engaged with said cam and an elongated portion extending through said valve guide, a valve closing plunger axially reciprocably mounted in said guide for closing and opening one of said ports and pivotally attached to said elongated portion, detent means locking said guide to said cam and a handle secured to said shaft whereby movement of said handle, in one direction, rotates said cam and causes axial retraction of said Valve plunger axially of said guide from said one port and thereafter swings said guide and plunger in offset position out of alignment with said one port, and means locking said guide relative to the housing only when said guide and plunger are in said offset position, said last mentioned means comprising a detent further operative to hold the guide in a second position aligned with said one port, said detent means being successively releasable upon return movement of the guide from said ofrset position to said second position, said detent being adjustable as to the strength of locking action and comprising a spring-loaded ball carried by said guide, spaced bores positioned in said housing so that said ball is received alternatively in the ends of said bores when the guide is in said positions, a set screw in each of said bores to adjust the depth of engagement of the balls in said ends of the bores.

5. A hydraulic valve comprising a housing, inlet and outlet ports in said housing, a tubular valve guide pivotally mounted in said housing, a shaft mounted for oscillation in said housing and extending through said valve guide, a cam secured to said shaft, a cam follower having one portion operatively engaged with said cam and an elongated portion extending through said valve guide, a valve closing plunger axially reciprocably mounted in said guide for closing and opening one of said ports and pivotally attached to said elongated portion, detent means locking said guide to said cam and a handle secured to said shaft whereby movement of said handle, in one direction, rotates said cam and causes retraction of said valve plunger axially of said guide from said one port and thereafter swings said guide and plunger in offset position out of alignment with said one port, and means locking said guide relative to the housing only when said guide and plunger are in said offset position, said last mentioned means comprising a detent further operative to hold the guide in a second position aligned with said one port, said detent means being successively releasable upon return movement of the guide from said offset position to said second position, said detent being adjustable as to the strength of locking action and comprising a spring-loaded ball carried by said guide, spaced bores positioned in said housing so that said ball is received alternatively in the ends of said bores when the guide is in said positions, a set screw in each of said bores to adjust the depth of engagement of the balls in said ends of the bores, and a stop in said housing abutting said valve guide whereby said valve plunger is aligned correctly relative to said one port.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,731 Linke s.. Aug. 16, 1881 673,925 Powell May 14, 1901 1,233,659 Fox July 17, 1917 1,320,433 Wilson Nov. 4, 1919 1,324,351 Haynes Dec. 9, 1919 1,789,340 Melling Jan. 20, 1931 1,888,615 Berdon Nov. 22, 1932 1,927,855 Swanson Sept. 26, 1933 1,985,449 Heggem Dec. 25, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 282,276 Italy of 1931 372,921 Great Britain May 19, 1932 

